Engine Buyer’s Guide for your EFI GM

In hot rodding, sometimes you just need to start fresh. The reasons vary: maybe you've reached your engine's power limit. Maybe you're tired of your combo, or your combo is just plain tired. And just maybe, you happened to blow your combo up—in which case, we salute you!

But regardless of your reason, you have reason to celebrate: thanks to our vibrant EFI GM aftermarket, it's easier than ever to have a new, high-powered engine shipped right to your door.

We've rounded up 16 LS-, LT-, and Buick Turbo V6-based engines for you to drool over. And because they're a mix of short-blocks, long-blocks, and crate engines—starting at only $3,999—finding your next bullet should be a walk in the park.

So take a look, then make up a good excuse for the old lady—it's time to drop some big power into your EFI GM.

1. Arizona GN

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ArizonaGN.com and its owner, Nick Micale, offer a great blend of talent, experience, and application for Turbo Buick owners. With more than a combined 50 years of automotive performance experience at the 20-year-old shop, Phoenix-based ArizonaGN.com puts its customers first, makes decisions that are in the customer's best interests, and is determined to put their experience to work for each of their clients, to help them reach their Turbo Buick goals.

ArizonaGN.com is happy to build stock-block 109 Turbo Buick engines, just ask Dick Kereny—his 109 made the first stock-block 8-second run. But the two builds below—an iron Buick Motorsports 4.1 crate and an aluminum TA Performance short-block—feature an additional 40 cubes, huge torque and power, and a stronger foundation compared to the factory block.

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE
A story about mail-order engines has to include Chevrolet Performance, previously known as GM Performance Parts. That's because GMPP godfather Ernie Callard created the “crate engine" as we know it back in the early 1970s. These days, Chevrolet Performance proudly continues Ernie's work: it still provides a wide range of crate engines, from classic 350s to their most powerful crate ever—the wicked, 770-horse LSX454Rs.

The LSX454R's high-compression, solid-roller engine was designed for the unique, high-rpm demands of drag racing. Its bottom end includes an LSX Bowtie block and an all-forged rotating assembly, with new LSX DR cylinder heads up top. These 11-degree, six-bolt aluminum heads feature raised ports for huge airflow. And while it comes with a carb-type intake and Dominator-type carb, it can also be converted to a fuel-injected setup.

While it's rated at 770+ horsepower N/A, it is capable of supporting nitrous and other power adders for even greater power.

Slightly smaller but equally ferocious is the LS376/525, which is what you get when you take the aggressive ASA cam—developed for the high-rpm world of circle-track racing—and slip it into an LS3 6.2L engine. The result is excellent throttle response and exceptional high-rpm breathing. And for durability, the cam is complemented with higher-rate valve springs.

EDELBROCK
Founded in 1938, Torrance-based Edelbrock, LLC is recognized as one of the nation's premier designers, manufacturers, and distributors of performance replacement parts for the automotive aftermarket.

Its LS 416 Long-Block is the same long-block used on Edelbrock's 720-horse E-Force LS Supercharged crate engine. The LS3 block's compact design allows for a seamless swap into most platforms, eliminating the need for engine bay or hood mods.

GOLEN ENGINE
LT and LS specialist Golen Engine is located in Hudson, New Hampshire. Within his 12,000-square foot shop, owner Chad Golen does everything from machine work, to engine building, to dyno testing.

Golen offers street and race LSs and 1990s-era LTs, in either short-block or long-block form. For LT short-blocks, the Street/Strip Series 383 makes up to 500hp, and the all-forged Competition version for NOS and boost guys handles up to 750hp. There's also an all-forged, 396 Competition short-block for up to 600hp naturally aspirated horsepower. Custom builds can also be built.

In LT long-blocks, the 383s range from 400hp to 440hp to 500hp, and they also offer a boosted version that can handle up to 750hp and 15 psi of boost. And a 396/550hp is available with AFR's CNC-ported heads. All of these engines are very street friendly, running on 91-octane pump fuel, and carrying a three-year warranty as well.

LIVERNOIS MOTORSPORTS & ENGINEERING
Livernois Motorsports & Engineering has 10-plus years of building championship race winning engines. Their extensive experience with every aspect of the engine building process results in the highest quality performance engines available.

They use a state-of-the-art CNC machining center for all block machine work, and the engine build department is a dedicated, climate-controlled clean room with a stringent quality control process.

Their Pro-Series and Street Series lines of engines are LS-based mills. The Pro-Series line offers the best components and full race prep during the machining and build process. The Street Series line offers a combination of quality components and prep work, performance and durability, and a lower price point for those on a tighter budget.

Whether you need a 500-horse N/A LS street engine or a twin turbo/blower combo pushing 2,000 ponies, Livernois has a package for every application.

MAST MOTORSPORTS
Mast Motorsports is a one-stop shop for LS powertrain engineering and manufacturing needs, and they're leaders in GM Gen IV engine development and controls.

Mast engines are built from the ground up using all forged parts, and dyno tested to ensure quality. From 575hp to over 1000hp on pump gas, Mast has what you are looking for. The LSX 427 Black Label 900 Supercharged engines feature a Whipple 2.9L supercharger, run on 91-93 octane pump gas, and produce over 900hp and 800tq.

What's more, Summit Racing won't leave you hanging with questions—it has the largest in-house technical staff in the industry to help you choose the right Chevrolet Performance crate engine or other products for your car. And for a very limited time, Summit Racing pays the shipping on any Chevrolet Performance crate engine. It's an offer subject to change, so double-check with the folks at Summit Racing before you order.

WEBER POWER PRODUCTS
Since 1969, the Weber name has been known for producing potent engines worthy of winning time slips across the nation. This tradition of excellence continued in 1989, when founder Dave Weber was called upon by Red Armstrong to assist with developing a camshaft to take Turbo Buick V6 engines to a whole new level of speed and overall performance. This calling set a new journey for the company that involved other custom modifications to the block and internals to support greatly increased horsepower.

Now owned by Dave Weber's son, Bryan Weber, Weber Power Products continues the tradition of building custom turbo Buick V6 short and long block engines that are designed to exceed the performance goals of each customer. These blocks may also be fully assembled and installed by Weber Automotive, which is also under the same customer focused leadership of Bryan Weber.